The Hogwarts Four
by pineapple shortcake
Summary: Haven't you always wondered how Hogwarts came to be? What the founders were like? Have you ever wanted to know how they made decisions, what their strengths were, their weaknesses? This story reveals all about the four Founders of Hogwarts School.
1. Chapter 1

It was a warm and rainy night. A glowing silver-yellow moon hung in a dark navy sky. A few stars twinkled feebly. Bathed in silvery moonlight was a small cottage. Hunched around a small table were four figures, lit by candlelight.

"Underground? Are you crazy?" The woman, in her mid-twenties, swept silky black hair out of her blue eyes. "Salazar that would never, ever work."

"And why not? Rowena, it would be hard to find that way. We'd be safe from intruders, at least." Salazar Slytherin said, banging his fist on the table. The candle wobbled and tipped over, nearly burning all of his papers.

With a quick flick of her wand, Rowena righted the candle and fixed the burn on Helga Hufflepuff's kitchen table. "Please, Salazar, be more careful." She studied his profile: His long black hair, pointed beard, slight French mustache, emerald eyes glittering excitedly in the firelight. As the flickering flight from the flame played over his face, making him look older than twenty-seven, Rowena continued.  
"The school can't be set underground. We simply could not make it big enough." She reached out and patted his shoulder. "I'm sorry Salazar. I know you really wanted this. You're right; it would be hard to find and we'd be safe from intruders and winds, but it wouldn't work..."

"If I may speak." The second man leaned forward, his dark brown eyes slightly glazed over with tiredness. "Dear friends, it is getting late, and I have a plan." Godric Gryffindor looked around at his companions: Clever Rowena Ravenclaw, stubborn but cunning Salazar Slytherin, and meek, modest Helga Hufflepuff. "My dear friends," he said again, "We will never learn anything if we just sit here talking. We must act; we must actually go out and look for places. If we want to start a school, we must first learn ourselves. We do need to find an ideal place, but let's go and look for one." He looked around again, a fierce determination in his eyes, the candlelight reflecting in his light brown hair.

"Yes," spoke up a soft voice. Everyone looked at Helga. She blushed, but continued. "Godric is right. It is better to see things for ourselves than to guess about them." She ran a hand through her long, wavy, dark blonde hair. Sighing, she rubbed her hazel eyes and said, "Well, we can decide in the morning. But for now, let's go to sleep. It is far too late for you three to go home. Rowena, you can share my room. Salazar and Godric, you two get the guest bedroom. No fighting. Follow me." She stood and picked up the candle, and led her friends up a thin flight of stairs. She pointed to a small room for the two men and proceeded to show Rowena into her bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

"Good morning friends." Helga said once they had gathered for breakfast. She had made roasted chicken, fresh eggs and yams. The kitchen smelled wonderful.  
"Where to next?" she asked.

"I say we should try up north," Godric said. "It is less populated by Muggles..."

"True, but it is colder." Rowena said.

"Bah, a little cold never killed anybody!" Salazar said.

"Actually it... did." Helga said shyly. The kitchen filled with laughter and the merriment began.

"No!" Rowena exclaimed a couple hour later. "Godric that is the stupidest idea I have ever heard!'

"Why?" Godric said, slightly annoyed.

"That place is crawling with...uh... crawly things!" Salazar chimed in.

"I don't like caves. Helga whimpered.

"Fine, no caves." Godric said.

"Let's go, now." Salazar said, he was not a patient man.

"Alright, let's head to Scotland. It has almost no population." Rowena said, she being the one that got things done.

"Oh my!" Helga cried. "I must pack!"

The other three burst into laughter and gathered their things for the journey of a life time.


	3. Chapter 3

"I've heard some stories about Scotland," said Helga timidly. She was afraid that if she voiced her worry, Salazar would scoff, Godric would laugh and tell her she was being paranoid and Rowena would try to get the other two to be quiet and listen to Helga, and then everyone would start fighting. Helga hated fights.

"What kind of things?" chorused the other three: Salazar as though he was thinking of something else, Godric (who was just leaving to get all the luggage) sounding as though he was nearly bored out of his pants, and Rowena as though she was curious to know what was on Helga's mind.

So Helga had no choice but to tell everyone. Curse her big mouth! "Well...I've heard that there's some kind of monster that lives in Loch Ness, so we'll need to stay away from there. We wouldn't want out students being hurt by some beast." she said, reluctantly.

"What kind of monster?" said Rowena. She had heard about the beast that dwelled in the murky weeds of Loch Ness, but didn't know much about it. She was also wondering why Helga was worrying so. "We would keep clear of there anyway. There are ends upon ends of kappas and boggarts and maybe even a chimaera or two." Okay, so she was lying about the chimaera.

"My grandfather's been there. He told me that it's a giant yellow-spotted purple hippopotamus with silver horns and—"

"_Whaaat?_" Salazar sat up straight. "How old were you when your grandfather told you that? I mean, well really Helga, I find that hard to believe. I really doubt that the Loch Ness Monster is a silver-spotted yellow hippopotamus with purple horns or whatever it was."

"Yeah, we wouldn't want a vicious, bloodthirsty giant yellow-spotted purple hippopotamus with silver horns to eat, attack, maul, rip in half or otherwise kill a bunch of kids, after all." said Rowena. Helga laughed.

"I know, but..." She shrugged. Then, "It was last week, Salazar Slytherin, and don't you forget it!" she said, not unkindly.

Laughing merrily and no longer bored nearly out of his pants, Godric entered the room, with all of their luggage levitating in front of him. "What's this I hear about giant yellow-spotted purple-horned silver hippopotamuses?" He frowned. "No that's not right...silver spotted...silver horned yellow-spotted...oh whatever."

Helga flumped down on a suitcase. "See Sal, look what you've started!"

Everyone laughed, including Salazar, and then everyone gathered up their things and headed out the door.

"Now what?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Let's head to Edinburgh. There's a tavern there that is reasonably sanitary." Salazar said.

"Unlike you." Godric said, grinning. He shifted his wand to his other arm and turned to face Salazar.

"Oh, look who's suddenly got a sense of humor. Well at least I have a life." Salazar said, returning his friends grin.

How Godric would wished he could still see that grin. "I know you love me Sal." he said.

"Boys, play nice." Rowena said. They laughed and Helga snorted a bit.

"Fine to Edinburgh." Godric said with finality. He was like the leader of the group, always deciding the best solution after listening to his friend debate.

"To Edinburgh!" chorused the other three. They mounted their broom sticks and kicked off.

"I hate flying!" Helga exclaimed. Helga was afraid of heights. Her hands were gripping the handle of her broom so tight, her knuckles were turning white.

"Helga, relax." Rowena said soothingly. Rowena was the only one who could calm down the other three. This was a good thing when Salazar went in to one of his rants or Godric got too bored or Helga got scared.

Helga relaxed a bit but as soon as she did the wind blew a bit and she gripped the broom tighter than ever.  
"How much longer?" Helga whined a few hours later.

"About four hours." Godric said. He loved flying and was not bothered by the long journey.

Helga groaned.

"Cheer up Helga!" Salazar exclaimed, he was enjoying the journey, too.

"Come on friends, think of the possibilities ahead!" Godric exclaimed.


	5. Chapter 5

After flying on broomsticks for most of the day, the quartet landed by a lake in a forest. They Summoned some fish for supper, and Salazar, who was surprisingly good at cooking, fried them with some herbs. Before long, the fire and the air around it smelled delicious. Rowena took some water in a large bowl and gave her wand a complicated little wave. All the germs, muck, bits of seaweed, and fishy taste went out of the bowl so that there was clean, clear, cold water for them to drink.

"You know," said Godric when they were all munching happily, "I think we've made pretty good progress. It hasn't even been a week and we're already in Scotland." He took a bite of fish. "Thank you for cooking this, Salazar," he added, nodding to his best friend.

Salazar nodded back. He swallowed his sip of water. "We should probably get to bed soon," he said in his deep, clever voice.

"I'm going to get more water first," said Rowena. Everyone agreed heartily, except Helga, who agreed, but more softly. Rowena got up, took the empty bowl from the ground, and walked, barefoot, over to the lake. She knelt and held the bowl under the freezing-cold water. She began to lift it out, but a slimy, cold _thing _closed over her wrist. She gasped in surprise and tried to pull her arm out. Whatever was in the water tugged back, pulling her in. Her whole arm was immersed in ice-cold lake water now. Rowena screamed, terrified.

Salazar's head jerked up. He squinted towards the lake. Rowena seemed to be fighting something in the water. Her screams echoed off the lake and around the campsite. Salazar leapt up and ran towards her.

But Helga was faster. She jumped up and seized Godric's sword from the sheath on his waist. He protested, but she was already off, running towards Rowena. Helga raised the sword above her head. She landed on her knees beside Rowena. Something slimy was wrapped around Rowena's whole arm by this time. Helga swung the sword and hoped she wouldn't miss.


	6. Chapter 6

The blade landed precisely with a load THWACK!

"Helga you did it!" Rowena exclaimed savoring her timid friend's rare bravery.  
Rowena looked down at her arm, there were odd circular marks where the thing had touched her.  
She was unharmed but a bit shaken nonetheless.

"Are you all right?" Godric asked her offering his hand; she took it and steadied herself. "What was that?" he inquired, his brown eyes concerned. Poor Rowena, he thought, she never did like the water.

"It- it was a-a sq-squid..." Helga stammered, utterly disturbed by the events of the last five minutes.

Salazar made his way to the water's edge and fished out a squid about 10 feet long and 3 feet wide.

"Sal what are you doing with that?" Godric asked.

"Well, we are going on a long journey and dried squid is quite tasty..." Salazar said.

"Oh goodness no! I am never looking at a squid again, let alone digesting one!" Rowena protested.

"Don't be unreasonable Rowena." Godric said. "I too have heard squid is tasty, think about it is no more disgusting then eating a chicken."

"Godric. Blast it when you're right!" Rowena pouted.

"I-I like chicken." Helga put in timidly.

"All right then, Godric help me cut this thing up." Salazar said.

"OK Sal." Godric said and within the hour they had.

Then the four mounted their brooms and set out again.


	7. Chapter 7

Rowena was still shaken by the squid incident by the next day. There was one thing that the others didn't know about. She wondered if she should tell them...

Having landed on a sunny beach for the night, the group unpacked their necessary items. While Helga and Godric set up the tent,  
Rowena ran in circles around everyone else and all their belongings, casting protective spells. When finally Helga, Rowena, and Godric were finished, they all crowded inside the tent.

Godric looked over at Helga. Her saving Rowena had instilled a kind of confidence in her. Helga looked back at him.

"Oh yeah...Godric here's your sword back," she said. She fished around in her bag for a moment; she came up with the sword and handed it back. Godric sheathed it.

Rowena shuddered at the memory of what the sword had done. "Again Helga, I thank you for sav..." She trailed off and wrinkled her nose as a truly disgusting smell reached their nostrils. Rowena jumped up and ran out of the tent.

Salazar looked up. "What?" he asked. He was cooking the pieces of the squid over the fire. A smell of half-rotted seafood emanated from it.

Helga, coming outside too, nearly gagged. "Salazar! We aren't still going to...._eat_ that...are we?" she asked, turning green.

Godric snatched the squid from the fire and buried it in the sand. "Nope!" he said firmly, and led a stuttering Salazar into the tent. The two women followed.

Rowena took a deep breath. "Friends, there's something I need you to know." She knelt and took something out of her bag. "When the squid let go of me, I found this in my hands. I think it was goblin-made." She held the object out to the other three.

They leaned in to look. In Rowena's hands sat a sparkling tiara of some kind.


	8. Chapter 8

"No, they're not squid eggs Helga!" Rowena exclaimed, disgusted at the thought that she might be touching something even remotely related to a squid and looking at the small pearly stones on the tiara.

"Just wondering." Helga shrugged.

"Try the stupid thing on!" Godric said for the zillionth time.

"Patience Godric!" Rowena said. She placed the tiara atop her head, in was very befitting the pale pearls, dark sapphires and light bronze metal sitting graciously on her black locks.

"Stunning." Helga said.

"It suits you Ro." Salazar said.

"Very much so." Godric added.  
**  
LATER THAT EVENING**

"You know when ever I this on I feel funny." Rowena declared as the group ate dinner (NOT squid.)

"In what way?" Godric asked.

"Oh, I don't know Ric, just different, like more self confident... smarter even."

"Let me try." Godric said.

"Um… all right..." Rowena said, thinking how ridiculous the tiara would look on a full-grown man.

And silly it did look but soon Godric felt the powers of the mysterious diadem.

"The square root of 5,894 is 76.77239087." Godric stated. _What?_ he thought_ I've never been good at Arithmancy.__  
_  
"What was that Ric?" Salazar asked him.

"No idea Sal, it just popped into my head..."

"Odd."


	9. Chapter 9

Godric handed the tiara back to Rowena. He was becoming freaked out by what it could do. The instant he took it off, he felt empty-headed and stupid. "Whoa...what?" he said groggily.

Rowena took it and held it in her lap, frowning, feeling the mysterious magic coursing through her arms and up into her heart. She put it on again and closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She sat like that for a full ten minutes, everyone watching her in silence.

Salazar began to worry. "Ro...is everything okay?" he asked nervously. "Rowena!" He touched her shoulder lightly, then drew back, shocked. He could feel the power of the diadem flowing through his friend's body as her touched her. Panicking, Salazar reached up and took it off her head, and dropped it on the floor of the tent.

As Helga watched, Rowena opened her eyes as if from a long sleep. She put her hand to where Salazar had touched her as if she could still feel his hand there on her shoulder. Helga flew at her friend, overjoyed, and threw her arms around a very surprised Rowena.

"Helga? I'm all right!" laughed Rowena. She gently pushed her away and then looked at the tiara, still lying where Salazar had flung it. "My goodness, what just happened?"

Godric sat up as he was feeling back to normal. "You were just sitting there holding that thing, and we were getting a bit uneasy. That's all, Ro." He examined the tiara as closely as he could without touching it. By putting his hand to the floor right next to it, he could feel a faint vibration. "It's humming!" he said in astonishment.

Helga put her own hand next to his. "Why, you're right, Ric," she said in surprise. "Goodness, where did a filthy old squid like that find such a thing?"

"Isn't it obvious? It was going to a wedding and wanted to look shiny." laughed Salazar. Everyone groaned at his sad attempt at a joke. He rolled his eyes. "Well who has a better idea?"

No one bothered answering.

Rowena scooted forward until the tiara was right in front of her. She took out her wand and touched its tip to the diadem. She murmured something under her breath and in seconds, a message had been carved onto the back of the tiara.

_"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."_

"It stopped vibrating," said Godric in some surprise.

"Yes, so it did. Isn't that odd?" said Helga in wonderment. Then she gasped with pleasure as Rowena put it on again. "Oh, Ro! You look simply radiant!" she breathed.

And so she did. The tiara nestled in Rowena's glossy curls shone silver. The pearls and sapphires glittered in the light, and Rowena's clear blue eyes seemed to sparkle. "I don't feel that strange magic anymore!" she said happily. Her spell had canceled out the other one permanently.


	10. Chapter 10

They reached Edinburgh as the clock struck midnight. The wind blew, cold off the wild moors.

Salazar nervously fingered his locket. He looked at the words inscribed on it.  
"Are we there yet?" the ornate snake on it asked. "No, be patient," he whispered to it in Parseltongue.

"Talking to your snake again, Sal?" Godric asked. "I still can't believe you can understand her."

"Can we get to the inn?" asked Helga. She was cold and miserable. She desperately wanted the warmth and comfort of the Honeyed Doxy Inn.

"All right Hel, as soon as I've made sure we have everything," said Rowena, checking the items in their packs.

"C'mon Ro, can't we go in now?" Godric asked. He too was tired and chilled to the bone.

"Hark who's talking Godric, where would you be without your socks?" Rowena told him.

Godric looked down at his feet rather sheepishly. He had always had a slightly unhealthy obsession with socks.

"Blast it! Godric's socks can wait! We're tired, hungry, cold, and on top of everything, it's started to rain." Helga exploded in one of her rare displays of anger. The others nodded fervently.

"Oh all right," Rowena said, slightly flustered by her friend's outburst.

The four walked to the door which Salazar opened and they entered eagerly. The atmosphere was cozy, the barmaid had rosy cheeks, and the patrons were only slightly tipsy. A small wash boy scuttled across the floor.

"Two rooms please," Godric said to the woman at the bar.

"Double or single?" the girl replied.

"Two single beds per room, if you please," he told her.

"Up the stairs, to the right and turn right again, rooms 155 and 156. That will be fourteen Galleons please."

"Thank you," Gopdric said, handing her the gold coins. They said their goodbyes and began to climb up the long staircase.

* * *

Godric put his sword under his pillowcase, where he always kept it. It made him feel strong and important (and he knew no one would touch his socks.)

Salazar ran his long, pale fingers over the surface of his ring in his last waking moments before falling into a dreamless sleep.

Rowena put her diadem on and looked in the mirror, and she felt her mind fill with questions which she happily fell asleep contemplating.

Helga placed her mother's cup with her family crest on it up on the mantel, the yellow, gold, and black obsidian looked stunning in the firelight. Helga slept remembering her happy childhood and her mother baking her treacle tart.

As the four slept peacefully, power reared its ugly head and the friends would not always remain so.


	11. Chapter 11

Morning came. After a long, comfortable night of sleep in warm beds, curled up between soft blankets, the four young adults felt well-rested and happy. After brushing their hair and making sure all their treasured possessions were safe (Salazar's locket, Rowena's diadem, Helga's goblet, and Godric's sword—and his socks) they all went down to breakfast.

"Everyone have a good night's sleep?" asked Godric. "Good. We need to figure out where we need to go next. My dear friends," he started.

"Oh, not _this_ speech again," groaned Rowena.

Godric shot her a dirty look. "My dear friends," he continued, "If we want to open up a school, it would help if we had someplace to put it!" He took a sip of his pumpkin juice. "Any ideas?"

Helga looked up from her plate of eggs. "I do. Why don't we go back to that place with the lake, in Scotland, and—"

"NO!' Rowena said, her blood turning to ice at the thought of going back there. Her face whitened. "I would never go back there in a million years!"

"But we killed the squid," said Salazar bluntly. He had rather liked it there. Until one of his best friends was almost killed, that is. "Come on Ro, you said yourself that you thought it was pretty there."

"Good point," sighed Rowena. "All right, I'll go back, but don't ask me to go anywhere _near_ the lake!" She put her hand on the diadem, which was resting beside her plate of bacon and buttermilk biscuits, and felt its friendly intelligence seep into her calming her. How could something so pretty come from such an evil place?

"Well, that's at least a week away, even if we do fly. We should get going this afternoon at the latest." Godric looked down at his toes. He was wearing his favorite pair of thick woolen socks—they were bright red, with orange and lime-green polka dots. He wiggled his toes and then thought, _It's official. Something's wrong with me. Maybe I should see a therapist. _But even as he thought it, he couldn't help feeling warm with happiness at the wonderfulness of socks. They were so wiggly. And you can make _people_ out of them!

Slowly, Godric became aware that everyone in the breakfast room was staring at him. Every. Single. Person.

Oopsie.


	12. Chapter 12

One week later Godric still had nightmares. He would thrash about in the tent till Rowena would come in bleary eyed and tell him to "stop acting like a four year old Godric and forget what happened." then Salazar would laugh and Helga would giggle and he would glare at them. Then the girls would go back to their tent. But not that night.

Godric woke to Rowena shaking his shoulders gently; he looked around tiredly and sat up. Helga was trying, and failing, to wake up a fast asleep Sal who was muttering in his sleep.

"Yes mother, I would like butter on my toast." Salazar murmured.

"Wakey wakey Sally!" Godric said loudly and boisterously. He grabbed the blankets and pulled them out from under Salazar.

Salazar yelled. His black hair was untidy and he was very annoyed. He scrambled up and brushed off his sleep-robes.

"Come, you two, we must talk." Rowena said. She was dressed in her dark blue nightgown, her long hair was back in a braid and she spoke softly, as if in a dream. She was very tired but it was nearly dawn and well, the expression was "seize the day." When the four were in a circle by the lake she began to speak.

"We need to discuss the school. What shall we call it? What should it look like? What classes do we offer? Who will teach them? Who will attend? How long will they attend? What safety precautions will we--"

"Ro, I think we need to think about these one at a time." Godric said reasonably.

She sighed. "You know, I really hate it when you're right."

"Ooh! So do I!" Salazar said. Godric laughed.

"How about we explore for a bit?" Godric asked, he was always the adventurous soul. "I shall go North, Sal South, Rowena West and Helga East."

"That sounds good, that way I can avoid the lake!" Rowena said cheerily.

The four split up.

Helga wandered toward the lake. It seemed perfectly normal and pristine at the surface but who knew what enigmas lurked beneath the glass-like top? She saw a bird leave its nest and she started. She took a deep breath and veered towards the south edge of the lake, away from the sinister looking cliff _Please don't let me fall in_ she thought. She found the scenery rather pleasing on the edge of the unknown forest and continued walking along.

Rowena walked _away_ from the lake and came to a garden. _Helga will love this_ she thought and looked around. There were all kinds of flowers but the ones that caught her attention were four large blooms in the center. The first had alternating blue and bronze petals. _My favorite colors!_ she thought. The next was red and gold. _Godric's_! The one after that was yellow and black. _Helga's! _And the last was silver and green. _Sal's, isn't that something to think about._

Godric stood at the base of the cliff, he took a step forward and bean to climb the old, slippery steps upward. When he reached the top what he saw amazed him. A giant castle speared out before him. He now knew why anyone bothered to build steps up the cliff. He wondered briefly if anyone was living there but it looked utterly abandoned. Godric Leslie (yeah laugh all you want) Gryffindor grinned, he was going to enjoy exploring this place. Yep, as sure as his socks were purple polka-dotted.

Salazar entered the forest, it was so big and scary, but he was a big boy and wouldn't freak out about the creepy shadows that the trees cast and the occasional rustle of the bushes. He didn't like it one bit. All of a sudden there was a rustling in front of him. He froze terrified. He turned, but he realized he had nowhere to go. He was lost. He turned to face whatever had made the noise. He screamed, loudly.

The other three heard his scream and rushed into the forest, battling the thorns and underbrush. When they reached Salazar he was down on his knees, praying to Merlin out loud and his eyes were squeezed shut. Next to him with its fluffy little head cocked, was nothing more than a mere bunny rabbit.


	13. Chapter 13

The day after Salazar's near-death encounter with the killer bunny rabbit, the four woke up to a beautiful sunny day.

Godric was the first to wake. Laughing to himself at his brilliant plan, he rummaged in his bag until he found the stuffed rabbit that had come with his Muggle "magic tricks" set. He put it on Salazar's pillow, next to his head so that it would be the first thing he saw when he woke up. Godric straightened up and said loudly, "Oh no! Salazar! Wake up, wake up, there's a monster about to chew your head off!"

Salazar woke up, saw the rabbit, and sat bolt upright, screaming bloody murder. He looked over at Godric, who was leaning against the side of the tent, laughing his head off. Salazar glowered at him and henceforth decided not to speak to him the rest of the day. He got up, pushed his way past the still-guffawing Godric, and stormed out.

Helga, having woken up to Sal's scream, was already up and cooking breakfast. She looked up as Sal came out of his tent and sat beside her. She giggled. "Good morning, Sal. Have nice dreams?" She had not been in on the joke, but had guessed what had happened.

Salazar raised his eyebrows at her. His scowl melted into a smile at the sight of her twinkling eyes. It was hard to stay unhappy with ever-happy Helga around. "Let me do that," he offered, taking the spoon from her. Salazar looked over at her. "Hel?" he asked hesitantly. "Are you...afraid of anything silly to be scared of?"

Helga looked over at him like he had grown an extra head and named it Archibald. "Of course, Sal, you know that I'm scared of purple puffskeins. Don't worry, it's perfectly normal to be scared of little bunny rabbits. You're just being silly." She leaned over and kissed his cheek, and got up to collect water for the day, as Rowena still refused to go near the lake.

Salazar stared after her for a moment, then turned his attention back to the pot with a shake of his head.

After breakfast, Rowena went off to explore the area some more. Godric accompanied her. They skirted the lake area, and Godric showed her the abandoned castle he had found.  
"Wow! I wonder who used to live here?" exclaimed Rowena. "Look!" She grabbed Godric's hand and ran up the hill to the entrance, where four tattered banners swung in the breeze. "A yellow badger...Helga's favorite animal! And a red lion...yours, Ric...and a green serpent...Sal's. This is strange...oh! A blue raven. My favorite. How extremely odd."

Godric nodded, speechless. "Would you look at that...I think it's time we showed this ruin to the other two, Ro."


	14. Chapter 14

"Sal, Hel get your lazy arses over here!" Godric yelled.

"This better be good Ric or I'll have your head!" Salazar called. He reached the top of the stairs, "Holy--!"

"My goodness!" Helga said faintly.

"Come on Ro, open the door!" Godric prompted, eager to explore.

"Keep your socks on Godric!" Rowena said and opened the door.

The effect was instantaneous. Salazar hid behind Helga, who was hiding behind Rowena who was hiding behind a shaking Godric Gryffindor.

_Darn it Godric, where's that Gryffindor bravery of yours?_ he thought.

In what looked like the great hall was a giant dragon. But that wasn't half of it. The dragon had an odd arrangement of scales. They clearly said, "DON'T TICKLE A SLEEPING DRAGON!"

"Godric! Tickle it! My grandfather once told me that if you ever find a dragon with words on it, do the opposite..!" Helga said."Or wait, maybe that was a centaur..." she said _after_ he leaned forward and tickled it. "Right never mind!"

"Helga!" Godric roared, the dragon's ears had perked up. It opened its large emerald eyes and looked sleepily at the four.

"Um...er... Sal! Talk to it!"

"How?"

"Well it's a giant reptile I thought maybe you could chat with it!"

The dragon puffed out its chest and sent a small tendril of smoke that wrapped around their ankles.

"Guys, run." Godric said, and run they did.

AGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

The dragon chased them to the cliff. A shear drop of nearly 50 feet awaited them.

"Darn it all!" Salazar said and, valuing a little drop instead of becoming a dragons dinner, jumped.

Helga followed and Godric was just about to when he saw the Rowena was hesitating. If she jumped she would land in the lake she had been trying so hard to avoid.

"C'mon Ro!" he said taking her hand, he could feel the dragons hot breath on his neck.

"Oh, oh, alright!" she said when the dragon was 4 feet away.

And they jumped.

_Stupid humans, always ruin everything and then go jump off cliffs_ the dragon, whose name was Marvin, thought in Dragish as he looked down at the place where the red and blue clad figures had disappeared beneath the water.


	15. Chapter 15

Sal sat up and looked around. They had landed in the shallow end of the lake and the water only came up to their knees. He saw Helga and Godric not too far away. Helga was sitting on a rock up on shore, wringing lake water out of her hair, and Godric was on his hands and knees, coughing up water. Salazar looked down at his locket, which was just as wet as the rest of him (obviously.) He cast a quick drying spell on it so it wouldn't rust.

Godric sat up, through with coughing up water. He saw Salazar looking at him. He smiled and waved, and looking around, saw Helga but not Rowena. "Wait. Where's Ro?" he said, panic waiting to spring upon him. "Ro?" He stood up, and saw a dark shape under the water, some five feet from him. "Rowena!" He started splashing towards the spot.

Salazar followed him. "Oh no, there she is, quick, we have to get her out of the water." Together, he and Godric lifted Rowena out of the water and onto shore.

Helga jumped up and joined them. "She's unconscious!" She knelt beside her best friend and shook her shoulders. "Come on, Rowena, wake up! Ro!" When Rowena did not wake, she began to cry. "No, no, Rowena! ROWENA!!" One of her tears fell on Rowena's hand.

Rowena stirred slightly, and opened her eyes. Blinking them drowsily, she looked up at the three people staring down at her with the utmost concern on their faces. "What?" she demanded. "What is it, what's happened?"

"Ro, are you okay?" asked Salazar worriedly. "We jumped into the lake, remember, and then you wouldn't wake up."

"What? Lake? What lake?" said Rowena. She looked over, saw the lake, and jumped up and scurried to the other side of the shoreline, to where it touched the grass, as fast as she could. "Ew! I was in there again?" she screeched. Then she gained control of herself. "Sorry…where's my tiara?" She looked around.

Helga flew at her and hugged her tight. "Ro! You're okay! Oh yeah, here's the diadem." She handed it to her, and they both giggled.

The foursome made their way up to the castle to discuss building plans.


	16. Chapter 16

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Do you have any better idea?" Rowena asked impatiently.

"No..." Godric started. "But I refuse to take any part in a school called... what was it? Hofsilb--?" He struggled with the word.

"Hufslygryrav." Rowena said with ease.

"What is Merlin's name does that even mean?!" Godric asked incredulous.

Salazar and Helga, very smartly, became rather interested in a cloud and were having a discussion about wether it looked more like Helga's old cat Muffy of Salazar's uncle Timothy. That was their cleverly thought out plan whenever Godric and Rowena fought, which was often, to become interested in the most random thing that came to mind.

"It is the first three letters of our surnames. If it must it could be Gryhufslyrav."

It took Godric a couple of seconds to work it out.

"No! How about we call it...." he looked around, "Hogwarts?"

"Hogwarts?" Rowena asked. "Why Hogwarts?"

"Because that cloud looks like a pig."

"Alright, Hogwarts it is."

"Wha--- I wasn't serious!"

"Well now you are."

"Drat."


	17. Chapter 17

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

Helga watched as Rowena and Salazar argued. At least it wasn't Godric and Rowena this time. Still, she felt it was getting a little repetitious, and wondered why they couldn't agree for once. She was sure Godric felt the same way.

Rowena sighed frustratedly and massaged her temples, trying to get rid of her headache. "We are NOT going to include the lake as a part of the grounds!"

Godric chimed in at this point. "But Ro, the squid's gone. There's nothing to be afraid of in there anymore, nothing that will hurt you." He was beginning to become slightly annoyed by her foolish fears.

Salazar nodded. "Ric is right, Ro. Besides, even if we do include it, you don't have to go anywhere near it!"

Rowena glared at the pair of them, grinning like idiots. "Oh, Merlin," she groaned. "You know what? Fine. But—"

She was interrupted by Salazar's happy shout. He grabbed Rowena's hand and spun her around, making her lose her balance.

Rowena stumbled and caught herself. She pushed Sal away, gently but angrily, and continued. "But if Godric gets the forest and Sal gets the lake, and I don't want anything, what does Helga get?"

Helga smiled and held up her hands. "I'm good." She didn't want anything more than to be with her friends and teach magic to young students.

Godric shrugged. "All right then, it's settled."

The four of them went up to the ruins of the castle, and tried to imagine what they would make it look like.


	18. Chapter 18

_Flashback: Godric Gryffindor  
_  
"Godric what have I told you about wandering off!" the boy's mother called.

"I'll be fine mother relax!" the twelve year old called across the windy moor in the east of Scotland.

"Mother, mother look! Father's home!" his little sister Genevieve shouted. There was Lord Gregory riding up on his "valiant steed" Hazel, who was 17 years old and a little battle worn. Godric had always admired his father, he strong head of the Gryffindor household and a member of the famous (and sometimes infamous) Warlock's Council.

***  
Three years later.

"Godric." his father whispered as if it hurt even to say one word.

"Yes father?" the teen asked.

"Take Azrael it is yours." a dying man said to his son.

"I cannot take it." Godric insisted, "You'll be better soon and we'll go out and fight evil, like you used to say when I was young."

"Son, both you and I know the truth. I will never be well."

"Father..." Godric said.

"Take it; take the sword of your ancestors, Azrael, Lord of Death." Gregory said with great effort and became consumed by a violent coughing fit. If only a healer had been in town...

"But--"

"Take care of your mother, don't let anyone defile the name of Gryffindor, I trust you my son. Oh, I almost forgot, go to the Council and tell them what has become of me. Good bye Godric."

"Father do not say good bye, you are still here! There's still hope!"

"Hope has gone." his father muttered. Godric stood up and wiped a tear away angrily. He hated his father in that moment for giving up on the one thing he had always told him was there and, though he knew he would regret it later, turned away without another word.

***

He bid his mother and sister goodbye and mounted Nutmeg, his bay mare. His father passed on not a day from their conversation and Godric was to go inform the Council of his demise. He felt for Azrael and held the metal to his tanned skin. The brown eyes glanced around. It was a 17 day's ride to the Headquarters and he decided that he would stop at the town of Greenwich to rest.

***

"What?"

"I would like you to join us, as a ranger. They are eventually crowned knights and your father always wanted that for you, of course it depends on what you want young Gryffindor." the old Head Warlock, Lord Overwood said.

"A ranger? Yes, I will join."

"Good, very good, you will go far my friend, just like your father."

***

"My name is Salazar Slytherin." the young man said.

"I'm called Godric Gryffindor."

"Gregory's son? My father admired yours very much, saved his life many times."

"You're Simon's son? Yes I thought I'd heard the name before..."

"Salazar!"A girl with yellow hair said coming up to the black haired youth.

"Helga, this is Godric Gryffindor."

"Gregory's son? Oh lovely." the girl said smiling. Inwardly Godric groaned, he would hate to be known as "Gregory's son" for the rest of his life. His train of thought was cut short as an arrow whizzed past his ear and embedded itself in a tree, three inches from Salazar's head.

"Darn, missed!" he heard a girl's voice say.

"Ravenclaw!" Salazar roared.

"Sorry, geez, you know if I was really aiming you'd be dead." The girl said, she had long black hair that went to her waist and blue eyes.

"Whatever, Rowena this is Godric, Godric, this is Rowena."

"Hello Godric."


	19. Chapter 19

_Flashback: Rowena Ravenclaw_

_Twang._

The arrow missed Salazar's head and landed in the tree behind him. The beautiful dark-haired girl of fifteen laughed at him as he bellowed her name, and assured him that if she was really trying to aim, he would be dead already. It was then that Ro noticed the new kid. She stopped in her tracks. It was extremely rare for someone new to show up here. She sized the teenage boy up.

He had shoulder-length tawny hair, deep brown eyes, and a handsome face. Salazar introduced him as Godric.

"Hello Godric," she said cheerily. "I'm Rowena Ravenclaw. But please, call me Ro." She hated her full name back then.

"Hello," he mumbled back, turning pink.

"So I see you've met Salazar and Helga," she said, trying to make conversation. Godric nodded mumbled something about socks. Ro raised an eyebrow. He had been perfectly talkative before she showed up.

"Well there's no need to stand there like a mushroom. I won't bite," she smiled.

Godric looked up at her. "Sorry. I just don't like meeting new people, and your presence was announced by an arrow passing by not a foot from my nose. So please forgive me if I am not exceedingly sociable."

Now it was Ro's turn to blush. She apologized to the other three, and tried to yank her arrow out of the tree, without prevail. "Come; you look like you have traveled a long way," she said to the newcomer. She took the three of them to her house. Godric took a short nap. When he awoke, they were all hungry, so she gave Helga and Godric refreshments and "accidentally" forgot to serve Salazar.

***

It had been two years since Godric had arrived in their town. He had to go and represent his deceased father in the Warlock's Council, but was going to return home the next day. The three seventeen-year-old friends waited for him to return. Even though he was in no danger, it felt like Godric was coming home from a war. Ro went to bed and couldn't sleep because of her excitement.

The next day, she got up, met Helga and Sal by the well, and went out to the road to wait. They had been sitting there for scarcely five minutes when they heard a _clip-clop_ coming from down the road. It quickened into a gallop and the beautiful horse stopped in front of them. The rider dismounted.

"_Godric!"_said Ro. She flew at him and hugged him tight. "You're back!"

"Ro!" said Godric, surprised and overjoyed. He squeezed her tight. "I've missed you three."

"ROWENA!" a voice bellowed. Ro jumped and pulled away from Godric hastily.

Ro's father stormed up to her. "Why didn't you tell me Godric was coming back?" he said. Anyone who didn't know him would think he was angry, but Ro, Salazar, Helga and Godric knew better. Rafael Ravenclaw ruffled Godric's hair.

"I have so much to tell you!" Godric said to his three best friends, and they all went inside to hear it.


	20. Chapter 20

_Flashback: Helga Hufflepuff_

"Your father scares me sometimes." Helga whispered to Ro.

"My father scares me all the time." Ro whispered back. Helga giggled.

They all sat by the fire and Godric told his story. They laughed in the right places and stared at him blankly at least once every sentence. Helga gasped and grabbed Ro's shoulder every now and then.

"And then they said "Godric Gryffindor, you are free to go." Godric finished with a barely noticeable flourish.

"Wow oh mighty knight of England." Ro said, rolling her eyes but smiling.

Helga laughed along with her friends but noticed something off.

"Why would anyone want to build a school? We're educated just fine." Helga said.

"I think it's because not all of the Muggle-born children get discovered." Salazar said thoughtfully.

"Yes, I suppose you're right." Rowena said.

"I've always thought it was because adult's hate us." Godric said.

"We ARE adults." Ro said.

"I don't _feel_ like an adult." Godric grumbled.

"It's because you're still a child mentally, we the three of us are making history you'll still be mocking your parents behind their back and jumping on your bed." Ro replied, Godric blushed pink and waved away the comment.

"Now shall I tell you about how I met a thief on the way home?" he asked.

"A thief?!" Helga exclaimed.


	21. Chapter 21

_Flashback: Salazar Slytherin_

The three friends leaned in closer, eager to hear Godric's story.

"Yes, a thief," he said, clearly enjoying the spotlight. "It was _terrible_, he nearly took everything I had!" said Godric dramatically. Salazar rolled his eyes. What a ham.

"Just tell us already!" said Rowena impatiently.

"Okay, okay already!" grumbled Godric. He sat up a little straighter, so that they could all hear him better. And then he began:

"Well, I was about a week's ride away from finally getting home, when suddenly this….well, this thief jumped in front of my horse. Stupid fellow. Nutmeg almost stamped a hole in his head….anyway…. Nutmeg managed to stop short before she hit him. He knocked me unconscious with a Stunning spell. All I saw of him before everything went black was a long, thin scar that ran from his left eyebrow, across his ugly leering face to the right corner of his mouth, and down his neck, his tunic covering up the rest of it. When I woke up, Azrael was missing. I think my horse chased the bugger off, though, because nothing else was gone.

"It hurt to lose Azrael, you know, it belonged to my father and he passed it on to me before he died. So it was with a heavy heart that I continued on my journey home. About three days later, I happened upon a corpse lying in the road. I recognized the scar that disfigured his face and was surprised to see that this was my robber. His bare chest revealed that the scar continued down his side, all the way to his ribcage. _What had happened to him?_ I wondered, but there was no time for that.

"I took Azrael back from him and ran, in case he wasn't all the way dead, back to Nutmeg and she galloped away as fast as she could."

Godric looked up with an expression of smugness, having finished his thief story. Ro and Helga looked at him, astonished, with expressions of admiration on their faces.

"Yes yes, very honorable of you," said Salazar irritably. "Did anything ELSE happen while you were away that you want to tell us about?" Actually, he was just as amazed as the girls were, but he covered it up with impatience and irate.

Godric thought for a moment. "Nope, that was it. Unless you want to hear about the sock puppets."

Ro, Helga, and Sal looked at him like he had grown an extra eye and announced that he wanted to marry a turkey.

"I guess not," Godric said, blushing crimson and looking at his toes.

The four of them then went outside to sit in the sun, feeling as though the world was complete and they were the happiest they had ever been.

_End of flashbacks_


	22. Chapter 22

Godric stood back (a lot back) and stared at the completed castle. It towered over their heads, almost thirty times higher than the enormous oak trees. It was made of stone and marble. The sharp-looking spires on the tops of the towers glinted ominously in the moonlight. Godric couldn't help smiling. It looked magnificent. But hopefully not too frightening. He turned and grinned broadly at the others.

Rowena grinned back. She was just as satisfied as he was about the exterior there was only a very little amount of work left inside. She glanced up at the five high towers, doing the math in her head. If that oak tree was five hundred feet tall (they grow taller in the Wizarding world than in the Muggle community) then the highest tower must be....

"Fifteen thousand feet!" she said aloud. The others gave exclamations of surprise and delight. "Three years of work and we've finally finished the school, and it's fifteen thousand feet tall!" said Rowena happily.

Helga nodded. "It's truly amazing," she agreed, her normally soft voice even softer than usual in her awe.

"Well, don't get all misty-eyed yet," interrupted Salazar. "Who knows if anyone will want to come? None of us are very good teachers." He ignored the others' disapproving frowns. These past three years of hard labor had made Sal cranky and waspish, and he annoyed the others constantly. At first, it was because he felt he had no choice, but he was slowly becoming himself again, and now annoyed them simply for fun.

Helga rolled her eyes at him and slapped him across the face (gently) to make him shut up. Salazar subsided into a sulky silence. "Hogwarts," she said. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." It sounded good and was easy to say.

"Hogwarts," echoed Rowena.

"Hogwarts," Godric said, looking up at it again.

"Hogwarts," muttered Salazar. He was trying to conceal his ecstasy by acting bored.

They all smiled at Salazar mischievously and attacked him in a tickle fight. When finally they had made him laugh, the four of them pushed open the enormous doors and walked inside the massive entrance hall, talking and laughing like they had when they were teenagers.

No one saw Salazar slip off into the shadows, towards the dungeons.


	23. Chapter 23

Salazar grumbled all the way. Cranky and tired he couldn't believe they would let _muggle borns_ in. Mud bloods. Maybe Helga was one, but she must have been a jewel among ugly gray rocks. Muggles had murdered his parents, his sisters, Godric's uncle and Rowena's small brother. And that was the _filth_ they were going to teach? He refused. They had told him he needn't teach any student he disproved of, therefore inventing houses. But they would still be there, under the roof his friends and himself had built as a team. He was slowly becoming alienated, or so he felt, and he deserved some space for himself. His own Chambers.

Godric held out a goblet to Rowena. She took it gracefully, taking a small sip. He simply gulped it down, feeling the liquid fire burn down his throat, a feeling he very much liked.

"Don't drink too much." she warned, "Remember your Uncle Hadrain's 100th birthday?"

Godric blushed, tried and failed to hide it and said, "Yes. Yes, I do."

"Was that the time...?" Helga trailed off. "Oh, yes, it was."

"I won't drink too much!" he protested. "Where's Sal anyway? Shouldn't he be celebrating with us?"

"Maybe he had to go to the toilet; we really should put those in tomorrow." Rowena said.

"Yes, if I have to pee in one more bush I'll..." Helga said, but trailed off blushing when she remembered Godric was there. Fortunately he had not been listening.

"Well, I hope he doesn't get lost." he said.

Salazar looked at his finished chamber, the Chamber of Secrets. The egg sat in silence and one day it would awaken. The Basilisk of Hogwarts.


	24. Chapter 24

Twenty minutes later, Salazar hadn't returned yet, and Godric was becoming worried. "Sal has been at the toilet for a long time," he said nervously.

"Maybe he fell in," suggested Rowena. "Just kidding, just kidding," she added hastily as Godric shot her an icy glare. "Really Ric, you worry too much. Like Helga."

"Hey!" protested Helga. "I'm not nervous!" She was biting her fingernails and her eyes were darting around the room. The others glanced at her. "Well, maybe I am, a little," she admitted. "But Ro is right. I'm sure he's fine."

At that moment, the door banged open and Salazar stormed in. The other three jumped up and started bombarding him with questions.

"Where were you?"

"What took you so long?"

Salazar had to think of an answer, fast. "Um..nothing," he said shiftily. "Darn it, it's so hard to go to the toilet here. We have to put them in." Whew.

Rowena nodded. "You see, Ric? You worry too much. He's fine."

Helga launched herself at Salazar unexpectedly. "Oh Sal, I was so nervous!" she cried, throwing her arms around him. Salazar staggered under her weight.

"Whoa there, Helga!" he said hastily. "I'm okay!" He patted her head awkwardly and gently pushed her away. The other two sniggered. Helga blushed and backed away.

"All right, let's get back to celebrating!" said Godric merrily, but Salazar pulled him aside.

"Can we talk?"

Ric regarded him curiously. "Sure," he said. "What's on your mind?"

Salazar did not smile. "I am…unhappy about letting Muggle-borns into the school."

Godric sighed. "We've been through this," he said. "We will make sure that everyone under your House is pure-blood. You do not have to worry."

Salazar growled. "But they'll still be in the school, and I'll have to teach the scum!"

Godric frowned. "How can you say that? Helga is Muggle born! I know that the people who killed your relatives, and Ro's, and mine too, were Muggle-born, but holding that against all of them is just prejudiced, Salazar."

Salazar's eyes were blazing. "I will not have them under this roof!" he screamed. Godric backed away, but Salazar bore down upon him. "Helga is the one exception. They are all unworthy! Every single one of them!"

Godric regarded him with wary eyes. "Salazar, please calm down. We have all made our decisions. You will have to let them come here, or you shall not be allowed to teach." He walked away, leaving the irate Salazar fuming behind him.


	25. Chapter 25

"That's it!" fumed Salazar. "I've had it with you, all three of you!" He whirled around and started to stomp away angrily.

"Sal, wait!" cried Helga. She ran after him and caught his arm. "Sal--"

Salazar whipped around. All Helga had time to register was the expression on his face. His face was twisted into an angry, almost demonic scowl, hard lines etched into steel. There was cold fury in his emerald eyes, burning there like wildfire. He wrenched his arm free of her grasp with more strength than necessary. Salazar then slapped Helga across the face, hard. She cried out and stumbled backwards, but he had already turned and was storming off. Even through her tear-filled eyes, Helga could see that the muscles of his back and neck were tight with anger under his bottle-green cloak.

Rowena ran forwards and put her hands on Helga's shoulders and looked at her. There was an angry bright red welt raising up on her cheek and there were even a few scratches where Salazar's fingernails had grazed her skin. Tears were pouring down Helga's face. Rowena hugged her tightly. Helga's tears made a salty wet spot all over Rowena's neck and chest. Ro pulled back gently and said in a soft, soothing voice, "Hel, dear, Salazar just needs some space and some time to calm down. He'll come back and apologize, you'll see."

Godric joined them. He put his arms around both of them and for a moment they all just shared a group hug. "Salazar has a bit of a twisted mind, but that can't weigh us down," Godric murmured. "We said we'd make a school and so we shall, Sal or no Sal." He looked down at Rowena, whose face was closest to his. "We need to Owl everyone we know. Anyone who has children who need a magical education. And we need other staff."

Rowena looked up at Godric and was slightly startled to see his face just inches from her own. "I know a few people," she murmured back. "Actually I know a lot of people." She smiled. Godric smiled back.

"And I as well," said Helga, who had composed herself. "I guess it is settled then. We should sleep on it, see if Sal comes back, and start sending out owls in the morning."

Meanwhile, Salazar was in his happy place. The Chamber.

He was curled up on the stone floor, contemplating his actions. _Did I do the right thing?_ he wondered. Salazar sighed aloud. The purple toad in front of him let out a croak. He looked at it. He looked at the chicken egg it was sitting on. Not much of it was visible but for a tiny part of it in between two folds of the toad's slimy, horny skin. He supposed it didn't much matter the intention behind his actions. For soon, the egg would hatch and he would have all he wanted. A true friend. Someone to talk to. The great Basilisk of Slytherin would go down in history as the greatest and most famous basilisk. The Monster of the Chamber of Secrets. He liked the sound of that.

He liked the sound of that very much.


	26. Chapter 26

Three hours after Salazar had stormed off, Helga had finally recovered. And she was mad. She kept it from the others, but it was there, bubbling inside of her. She decided that when Salazar came back, he was going to get shouted at like never before!

Rowena gazed out the window at the rain. She was uncharacteristically quiet. She was beginning to feel anxious. It had been three hours and he still wasn't back. She knew that he was probably all right, but what if they couldn't make ends meet? The school would be open soon and they could hardly run it with one of the heads in a hissy fit.

Godric looked away from the two girls sitting quietly on opposite ends of the room. Instead, he read the letter he had recieved from someone anonymous that morning. He couldn't make heads or tails of it. It was only one sentence.

_The night is darkest just before the dawn._

He didn't think it was simply someone advising him of the patterns of night and day. There must be more to it than that. So he puzzled.

Salazar glared at the frog. The frog glared back. He folded his arms. The frog gave an obstinate croak. It was sitting right in front of the doorway. So he couldn't get out. Every time he tried to step over it, it would jump up and hit him in a very uncomfortable area. So he couldn't do that either. Angrily, he aimed a kick at it. It jumped out of the way with a reproachful squelch. Salazar seized his chance and rushed through the door.

The shadowy figure squinted through the rain at the castle. This was his destination. He glanced up at the full moon and his upper lip curled with contempt. He waved his wand, muttering something unintelligible, and the moon was all of a sudden extinguished, leaving the night blacker than ink. "The night is darkest just before the dawn," he muttered to himself.

Godric looked up as all the light went out. even the moon and the stars. "The night is darkest just before the dawn!" he said aloud. It all made sense now.

The door knocker sounded, three loud booms.  
_  
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM._


	27. Chapter 27

Salazar skidded into the room just in time to hear the door knocker. "Who in Merlin's beard is that!" he said loudly.

Godric, who was still mad at him, said nothing and ignored him. Instead he walked up to the doors and yanked them open. A cloaked figure stood there in the rain. All Godric could see of him was two gleaming silver eyes. He hastily stood back and let him in.

Helga watched apprehensively as this strange man who could extinguish the stars entered their precious castle. She backed up until her back touched the stone wall, and there she stayed.

Rowena, on the other hand, walked forward until she was face-to-face with the stranger. "Show your face," she commanded. She watched as the long hands slowly came up and the hood was pulled back.

The man had a handsome, youthful face. His eyes were silver, or blue, or crimson or perhaps green, depending on the light. A thin, pale scar marred his otherwise smooth left cheek. A secretive smirk twisted his mouth into a smile when he saw how Rowena's and Helga's jaws had dropped at the sight of his face.

Godric chuckled at their reaction. "This is Zephyr Moonstone, I've hired him to be the potions teacher here." He came forward and gently nudged Rowena out of the way in order to shake Professor Moonstone's hand. "It's wonderful to meet you," he said.

"Likewise," said Zephyr Moonstone. He smiled, then looked past Godric to the man who hadn't moved or said anything since the door was opened.

Salazar stared sullenly back, peeved that this newcomer thought he could just barge in and get all the attention. Rather childish, he knew, but it made him feel better. "I'm Salazar," he grunted.

"And that's Rowena and Helga," said Godric, pointing to them. He could tell that neither of them was going to move or speak anytime soon. "And I'm Godric," he added as an afterthought.

"Well met, all of you!" said Zephyr. "Is there a room for me, or do I have to sleep here in the entrance hall?" he laughed.

Rowena recovered very quickly all of a sudden. "Of course, right this way!" she said hastily. She stumbled forward and gestured for Zephyr to follow her out of the entrance hall.

Salazar folded his arms and watched them go. As Moonstone passed, he looked at him. Salazar's eyes narrowed. Moonstone's did as well and turned from silver to crimson. And then he was past and Salazar exhaled.

Helga trotted after Rowena and Zephyr. They climbed up many flights of stairs until they reached the second highest tower. Zephyr was to sleep a flight below Godric in Gryffindor Tower. She reached them just as Zephyr's door closed. Rowena looked at her. They shared a huge, goofy smile. Both were smitten with this new teacher.

Back in the entrance hall, Godric was laughing to himself. This was going to be an interesting few years.


	28. Chapter 28

_**Chapter Twenty Eight**_

Rowena opened her eyes to bright sunlight and the smell of eggs. She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. breakfast! She scooted out of bed, dressed, and made her way down to the Great Hall. Down the spiral staircase and out of Ravenclaw Tower, through several corridors, down all the steps of the Grand Staircase, through a billion more corridors, across the Entrance Hall, and past the giant double doors leading to the Great Hall.

Everyone else was already there. Zephyr Moonstone gave her a little nod as she passed him on her say to her seat, making her cheeks flush. He smirked to himself and returned to his bacon.

Godric looked up as Rowena took her seat beside him. He glanced along the table to see if there were any more latecomers. But no, they were all there.

It had been a fortnight since Professor Moonstone had arrived. In that time, all the other teachers had arrived, as well as a legion of house-elves. A few of them scampered up now to take away dirty plates. Godric looked down the staff table again. Rowena, Salazar, Professor Keydragon, Helga, Zephyr, Professor Robincrest, Professor Clearfolk. All wonderful friends by now.

Helga stood up, having finished her breakfast. She glanced down as something tapped her hand. It was a house-elf. She took the creature's tiny hand in her own and sat down so as to hear her squeaky little voice better.  
"Miss, the students is to be arriving soon," she squeaked. "Is Pooky to tell the house elves to work overtime, miss?"  
"Oh, not at all!" replied Helga, shocked. "They aren't coming for a few more weeks, and we'll worry about it then." She shooed Pooky away and stood up again and left.

Also having finished his lunch, Salazar stood up, turned his body away from the table and took half a step, before something caught his hand as well. He looked down, slightly exasperated, to see Professor Keydragon glaring up at him. Hee sighed and plopped back down in his seat. Salazar looked at Keydragon, whose eyes were still heavy with tiredness. "Yes?" he asked.

"Mr. Slytherin," began Keydragon in his pompous manner. "I am heavily opposed to your friend's manner of dealing with things. Casting matters off for later is hardly responsible, and the house-elves may not appreciate being treated as kindly as this. Now, if you were to leave this matter to me, I would sort it out now and be sure that the house-elves were prepared for the onslaught of students. It is my opinion that..." He continued talking, unaware that he was having a conversation with empty air. Salazar had lost patience and left.


	29. Chapter 29

"Hey, give that back!"

"Ouch! Stop poking me!"

"Wait for me! We're going to be late!"

"Hey!"

The cries of young voices rang out in the now-crowded halls of Hogwarts Castle. Students chased each other up and down the corridors, weaving around each other and ducking behind suits of armor at the threat of approaching teachers. The learning experience had begun.

Helga dodged a few hyper first years on the way to her classroom. She stopped when a figure with a familiar face stepped out of a door a few yards in front of her.

"Hello Helga," said Zephyr Moonstone. He watched in amusement as her features melted into a goofy smile. She blinked at him a few times before giving a nervous start and regaining control of herself.

"Right. Er. Right. Er. Er, how are you, Zephyr?" she asked, cheeks aflame.

The corner of his mouth curved up into a smile. "Oh, I'm doing quite well Helga, and yourself?" he asked.

"Hey! You're a right pig, you are, I said give it back!" screamed a student as he passed, chasing a girl down the corridor who had his pink and yellow spotted pet toad.

"All right then!" shouted Rowena. "Miss Smith! Give Mr. Bourke his toad back." She frowned at the girl, who meekly returned the pet to the boy. She joined Helga and Zephyr.

"Hello, Ro," said Moonstone jovially.

"H-hi, Zephyr," she breathed.

Helga looked at her. "Rowena, what're you doing? I saw him first."

Rowena laughed. "Oho, did you now?"

They promptly launched into a fight about who had seen Zephyr first, who was going to marry him, and who was going to live in misery scooping dragon dung in Romania.

Zephyr Moonstone watched with wide eyes. He turned on his heel and walked off when neither of them were looking.

~*~*~*~*~

Meanwhile, Godric was walking along on the kitchen level, whistling to himself. A house-elf scampered past him. He watched it go, bewildered, and changed direction, setting off in the way it had come.

Salazar was taking a shortcut to the dungeons. He had just been to visit his friend in the Chamber of Secrets, and this way was faster than the staircase. He turned a corner to see a sad sight. Professor Keydragon had a house-elf cornered and he was screaming at it. Salazar simply looked on, horrified.

"How dare you walk about this castle like a free wizard? You are a house elf and will do my bidding if it kills you!" he screamed, red-faced. "I told you to carry me up to the Great Hall and your little arms are too weak to do the job! You have disgraced yourself and your entire species!" The house-elf began to cry, cowering into the wall, sobbing into its hands.

"Keydragon!" called out Godric. He slipped past Salazar and marched right up to the professor.

"Ah, look who it is. Mr. Godric Gryffindor," said Professor Keydragon, immediately turning away from the house-elf in the corner and giving Godric a sweeping bow. "How may I be of assistance to you, sir?"

Godric gave him a baleful glare. "Your treatment of this house-elf is beyond cruel. It cannot continue. House-elves are made to serve us, but to do things like serve tea and bake food, not to carry you wherever you please and do hard labor. You are banished from the castle."

Keydragon looked up. "I beg your pardon? You cannot simply banish me! I am a teacher here, and you are--"

"--A co-founder of this school and therefore more powerful than you. Don't come back or I shall set Salazar on you." He jerked his thumb back to where Salazar stood. The man was clenching his hands into fists so tight his knuckles bled and he looked as though he was restraining himself from charging with extreme difficulty.

Keydragon glared at the two of them for a moment, but there was nothing he could do. He huffed and spun around, growling a curse at the house elf before storming off.

As soon as he was out of sight, Salazar let out his breath. "What a complete--!" He was at a loss for words. "I can't believe that man." He walked over to where the frightened house-elf crouched. "It's all right Silas, you're all right," he said soothingly. He took the tiny creature by the hand and led it back towards the kitchens. "You don't have to work for a few days, or at least until you recover..."

Godric watched him go with a smile on his face. Another problem solved. He turned and started off for Gryffindor Tower with a feeling of satisfaction.


	30. Chapter 30

It was a full moon that night. Bright moonlight filtered in through every window, casting soft stained-glass patterns on the stone floors, crimson, gold, sapphire, and emerald with a distinct silvery moon-cast. The sounds of students heading up to bed echoed in the halls. The last laugh bubbled into silence just as a tall, honey-haired figure slipped into the staff room and the door snapped closed.

Helga turned away from the door to face her colleagues. "I apologize for being late," she said in her usual quiet, but cheerful manner. "A few of the students were fooling around in the halls and I had to send them on their merry way." She took her seat, in between Zephyr and Salazar.

From the other side of Zephyr, Rowena leaned forward. "Great. Everyone's here now, which means that the meeting can start!" She ignored the stifled groans from the others. Rowena was the only one who enjoyed these meetings, held at the peak of every moon cycle. Everyone else just endured in silence.

"All right," said Salazar tiredly. "What was the point you wanted to bring up first?"

"Actually, Salazar," cut in Godric. "I was under the impression that _you_ have something you wish to say. You've seemed down for weeks. I know you. What is on your mind, friend?"

"You know me too well, Godric," said Salazar, slightly waspishly. "There is something I want to bring up to all of you." He turned to face the room. The faces of his colleagues--his friends--stared back at him curiously. He let his eyes slide over each of their faces. Godric Gryffindor, with his unwavering bravery and loyal friendship. Emanuel Robincrest, with his bright red hair and slapstick sense of humor. Asiaree Clearfolk, with her piercing gaze and air of pride. Geraud Bladestorm, with his high-held chin and strict, hard demeanor. Rowena Ravenclaw, with her quirky smile and brilliant intelligence. Zephyr Moonstone, with his ever-changing eyes and mysterious personality. And Helga Hufflepuff, with her sweet smiles and sunny view on the world. None of them were ever going to forgive him for this.

"Salazar," said Asiaree. "Are you all right? You look like someone's died. Whatever is on your mind, speak it now and don't keep us waiting like this."

"Come on mate," said Zephyr. "I love the dark, but I hate being kept in the dark. Just tell us. It can't be that bad, now can it?"

"All right," said Salazar. "Here it is." He took a deep breath.  
"I think we should only accept pure-blood wizards and witches into our school."

His statement was met by shocked silence and a hurt glare from Helga, who had a Muggle background.

Godric remembered all too well what had happened the last time this subject had been brought up. He had only recently forgiven Salazar for yelling at him, shocking Rowena into a rare state of astonishment, and worst of all striking Helga across the face, drawing blood. So when he finally spoke, it was hesitantly and rather carefully.  
"Salazar," he began. "We've been through this and through this. Our school is open to students from any sort of background, whether they have Wizard blood or Muggle blood or somewhere in between. If they possess magical talent, they are to be permitted into the school."

Salazar was instantly angry. "But if there is any Muggle heritage, then their blood is tainted. There is a greater chance of failure. That isn't a risk I'm willing to take!" He fought to keep his voice under control. He wanted his way and he wanted it badly, but he didn't want another fight.

"There is no proof of that!" said Godric impatiently. "You are prejudiced and cruel, Salazar. You're my friend, but I won't allow this." he stood up.

Salazar stood up too. Somewhere inside him, the act of standing up snapped something and he lost control.  
"What _I_ will not allow are _your_ stupid rules, Godric!" he hissed. "I helped you build this school. I have a right to decide what comes into it. I will not let filthy _Mudbloods_ ruin the air that I breathe! Either they go or I go! I _will not_ live for this!"

Rowena stood hastily. "Now that's enough," she said nervously. But now both of the men had lost control. Neither of them heard her.

Godric reached for his wand. "How _dare_ you!" he roared."You have just insulted one of your best friends, Salazar! You've crossed the line!" He pointed to Helga, who had reacted to the foul term for Muggle-borns in the worst possible way. She stared straight ahead blankly, tears pouring down her face, shaking violently.

Hastily, Geraud Bladestorm got up, knelt beside her chair, and put an arm around her shoulders. "There there," he said, his voice gentler than anyone had ever heard it. He pulled Helga's unresponsive form into his side and put his arms around her in an attempt to get some sort of reaction out of her.

It worked. She stood up, suddenly furious, and strode up to Salazar, wand out. "You have now passed beyond anything I could have expected from you, Salazar," she said venomously. She glared at him for another moment. Then all of a sudden, all the fury left her and she hurried back to her seat, face in hands. She leaned into Geraud's side and sobbed into his chest.

Godric watched her with horrified eyes and turned back to Salazar. "I can no longer call you my friend, _Slytherin_," he said.

With a roar, Salazar made a lunge for him. He raised his wand. The tip filled with bright green light, a swirling vortex of magic, deadly and beautiful. He pointed it at Godric and opened his mouth to utter the horrible curse--

Godric ducked. The spell flew over his head. The wardrobe behind him burst into flames. He raised his wand to fire a curse back at Salazar—

And dropped his wand. It fell to the floor with a clatter. The blood-red star at the end fizzled out. He stared at Salazar for a long moment.

Zephyr, Asiaree, and Emanuel stood up in the same moment. Geraud followed a split second after, disentangling himself from Helga's sob-racked body.

"I think you should leave," said Asiaree imperiously to Salazar. Geraud nodded in assent, rippling his muscles as his hand clenched around his wand.

"Fine," snapped Salazar. "I couldn't be around you _Mudblood-lovers_ anyway." He glared at Helga, who watched him with tear-filled eyes. His face twisted into a hateful sneer. "And you, Helga. I expected more, even from a filthy Mudblood like you." He spat at her.

Geraud charged him like a bull, but instead of tackling him, twisted his arms behind his back and took away his wand. "You can have _this_ back once you get outside the grounds," he growled. "Now _walk._"

Salazar spared Godric one last glance. Memories of all the good times they had flooded him. But Godric Gryffindor was no longer his friend. That bond had broken. He let Geraud steer him out, and Salazar Slytherin left Hogwarts forever. But his pride and joy, his life's work, still lurked in the depths of the castle, a room only he knew about. A sleeping monster he had created. He had done what he wanted to.

Back in the staff room, the atmosphere was somber. One by one, the staff trickled out. Everyone was devastated, but no one was crushed more than Godric Gryffindor, and Helga Hufflepuff, and Rowena Ravenclaw. The latter wiped a tear from her eye. Only she and Zephyr were left in the room now. She gave him a tearful glance. "It's never going to be the same," she said. "Never."


	31. Epilogue Part 1

The screams, the smoke, the bright flashes of curse light. The sickening crunch of bodies landing on the cold hard ground as the wavering candles of life were extinguished as Godric Gryffindor watched. The fear and pain emanating from the dying, the injured, and the onlookers was almost tangible in the air all around him. The drive of his purpose out here, in the backyard of his own school, kept him determined. But even so, at times the amount of anguish being flung at him would make him overcome, and the only thing tying him to the physical world was the sword he gripped so tightly in his hand, ruby-encrusted and now stained with the magical blood of dozens.

A crash came from a few yards behind him. Pausing only to smite the wizard in front of him with a hastily shouted spell and a swing of the sword, Godric wheeled around. He tried not to comprehend that the mounds of crimson-soaked potato sacks dotting the grounds of Hogwarts were actually piles of dead bodies, lumped together haphazardly out of the way.

As he completed his half-turn, a jolt of shock ran through him. Closer than he expected stood the source of the disturbance. His glassy, wild eyes reflected the flashes of wandlight. He held his wand up in front of his chest. This was the infamous Despero Eruscruor. He was the reason and the cause for this bloody battle. Godric had heard much about the evil wizard but had never seen him in person. Now that he stood before him, Godric's determination--the knowledge that so many innocent lives had been lost because of this man, the heartbreak and terror that had been inflicted on the entirety of the Wizarding world--swelled as it had only once before in his life: the day Salazar Slytherin left Hogwarts. He raised the magical sword in front of himself and walked towards the wizard.

Eruscruor held up a hand. His face was perfectly expressionless, but his eyes--so wide that you could see the whites all around the dizzying silver irises--burned with a ferocity that would make a dragon quail. He opened his wizened mouth slowly, and spoke.

"Godric Gryffindor." His voice rasped as though he had spent an entire day screaming--which, Godric thought, he probably had. Contempt colored every rise in his voice, and malice was laced through every dip. "You presume that simply because this battle has been fought at the school which you built, you can win. But you are wrong." His voice hardened. Now it reminded Godric of a poisonous spider waiting to sink its fangs into his neck. "You are far outnumbered, Gryffindor, and you have no whisper of a chance of defeating me. You should have listened to your friend Salazar slytherin all those years ago and prohibited Muggle-borns from attending the school. In the morning, when you are dead and I am headmaster, I shall kill them all, weeding out the bad blood, and start anew."

Godric stood fast. "I'm afraid I cannot let you kill these children, Eruscruor."

That is all that was needed to be said. The wizards flew at each other, wand and sword held high. From all over the lawns, people paused in their fighting, and faces of young and old children alike pressed against the windows of the castle, to see this greatest of battles. Flashes of magical light blinded and dazzled the eyes of the onlookers, in every color of the rainbow; then, with a final swell of bright green iridescence, Godric Gryffindor stood over the limp, lifeless body of Despero Eruscruor, who had died laughing.

Seeing that their master was dead, hundreds of wizards retreated, hurrying down into Hogsmeade and away, never looking back.

As Godric looked down at the face of his foe, unwanted images of blood and gore, corpses piled high, bloodstained lawns, and wizards' faces twisted in terror as he bore down upon them with his mightly sword overwhelmed him. He staggered back a few steps. So many lives, lost at his own hand. He recoiled from the scene. He knew that now, there was no way he could live with himself. He had killed people, put a deadbolt in their hopes and dreams of the future. People who had families and friends and jobs. He knew what he had to do. He remembered Rowena, fighting with a long, tentacled arm, Helga rushing towards the lake with the very sword he held now, and stabbing the squid. Salazar complaining about the smell when they tried to cook it. His three best friends. He knew that he was never going to see them again. His numb fingers unclenched themselves from his beloved sword, which clattered to the grass.

Godric turned and walked straight towards the lake from his memories. When he reached the edge, he kept on walking, summoning a great swell of magic from deep within himself. This was his plan. It had been all along; he knew that now.

The second his head submerged, the transformation began. His arms and legs lengthened and turned rubbery; he grew two extra pairs of arms and an extra pair of legs, which followed his first set in their morphing. His spine twisted and bended impossibly, doubling him over. He felt his heart swell and expand until it wrenched itself apart into three. His nose and mouth lengthened and hardened into a beak, and his eyes gre in size intil they were the size of dinner plates. His limbs turned into tentacles with suction cups lining the insides, some with claws as well. Lastly, his head swelled in size as well, ans hs entire body turned rubbery, with gills and two fins.

The giant squid dove deep into the cold depths of the lake and Godric Gryffindor was never seen again.


End file.
